Hope Lies Hidden
by Crystal Blue Dry Ice
Summary: Kagome makes a new friend in school, a friend who holds the key to a long forgotten secret. And when the secret is finally unlocked, only choas ensues...[ON HIATUS]
1. The Begining to an End

Gonna say this one only...I no steal so you no sue comprende? Hope you enjoy This fanfic...this is just the teaser, if you will, to much bigger things to come...-

Hope Lies Hidden

Prologue:

The pictures on the walls were so happy. They showed smiling faces, faces who showed no pain or sadness, no regret nor guilt…they were just, happy. But she wasn't. She never could be again. Not really. Oh she could fake it well enough, but her heart would never feel joy…not again.

Akina moved about her room, packing up her few belongings in the last of the boxes, trying to ignore the pictures that filled her room. They were of no importance now. They were from a different time, a different life. A life she had left behind in a hospital in Yokohama. Now she was moving away…moving to Tokyo to live with a family she had never met, and had never really cared to.

Her mother had assured her that she would love it in Tokyo. It wasn't too far from where she was, and she could go to a good school, and lead a good life. A life her mother never could have provided for her. She dumped a few books into one of the boxes and crossed to her bed, dropping down onto it tiredly. She stared at the picture that had greeted her every morning when she woke up. It was her favorite one, of before her mother had been sick, when she still laughed. They were sitting on the beach, wide smiles on their faces as the sun shone on the blue sea behind them.

She pulled out the necklace her mother had given her, a beautiful purple shard of rock, entwined in golden threads, and began to fiddle with it. It had been the last thing her mother had given to her…the last thing she had left her daughter with…

_Akina stared at the beautiful necklace in her hand with wonderment, watching the way the light bounced off its beautiful multifaceted surface. It was her mother's most prized possession, something that had been passed down generation by generation through her family, until it had been given to her mother. She would never give it up unless…_

"_Your aunt and uncle in Tokyo have agreed to let you stay with them." Said her mother quietly, making her daughter look back up at her. _

_Akina smiled slightly, rather confused. _

"_But Mom, why am I going to Tokyo? You are here in Yokohama…why would I leave you…?" She trailed off, slow realization dawning cool and clear upon her. But it couldn't be. Even in the sickly glow of the hospital light, her mother still looked perfectly healthy, her platinum blonde hair shining like her beautiful green eyes…no one would ever believe that she was so desperately ill…there was just so much life in her…"No Mom…"_

"_They will take good care of you Akina, until you come of age and can be on your own…"_

"_No, Mom, I'm going to stay here with you," she choked through a suppressed sob, "I won't leave you."_

"_You're not going to leave me darling," said her mother with a gentle smile, putting a hand to her face, "But I can't stay here forever."_

"_Mom…"_

"_I'm going to die soon Akina…whether I want to or not. There is nothing more anyone can do. So I am sending you to your father's sister so you can live a good life…"_

_"Please…don't talk like that Mom…your all I have left…" she clung to her mother's hand, her tears beginning to flow more freely "…Please don't leave me!" She flung herself into her mother's arms, holding her for dear life. "I love you too much to lose you…"_

"_Oh, my darling, your not losing me, I'll always be with you…You've got to be strong…you've got a life to live…don't morn me…live, please my darling, just live."She put her arms lightly around her daughter, holding her gently._

_Akina wept for a few minutes before gathering herself enough to sit up. As she did, her mother's arms slid off her, falling lightly from her. Akina stared at her mother. Her eyes were closed as if she was sleeping, her hair spread out over the pillow…but there was no breath in her…and she was already so pale…_

"_Mom?" Akina whispered, afraid that the nightmare before her would be true. She brushed a hair from her face, and tried calling out to her again…suddenly the constant bip of the heart monitor became a steady scream…sending the doctors and nurses scrambling towards her…_

"_Oh, God…Mom…" she felt herself being pulled away…but suddenly she was fighting to get back to her mother…it just couldn't be true…_

"_MOM! NOOOOOOOOOOO! MOTHER! OH GOD NOOO!" she sobbed, as the doctor drug her out of the room. _

_The last she saw of her mother was the practitioner drawing the sheet up over her beautiful face…_

Akina snapped the last latch of her suitcase and paused to take one last look around her now empty walls. She was leaving everything behind…but she would take her memories…she placed her hand over the place where her mother's necklace hung under her shirt and sighed. She took one last look around her room, then walked out and down the stairs to the waiting car, and walked towards her new life, a sad one, but a new life nonetheless.

And as the car raced toward Tokyo, Akina felt as if she had left more than just an old life behind…

She had left part of her heart.


	2. A New Student

**Yay! Chapter One is Up! does a little dance hope you all enjoy!**

Hope Lies Hidden

Chapter One – A New Student

Kagome launched herself out of the well, and ran like lightning towards her house. She burst through the doors of the house, calling out rapid-fire greetings as she did.

"HiMomHiSotaHiGrandpaI'mHome!" she called, rushing up the stairs into her room, and grabbing her book bag of her bed. She ran back down the stairs at top speed, passing a very stunned looking Sota up on the stairs. She practically flew out the door, barley even pausing to rush a:

"ByeeveryonesorryIhavetoleavebutIhavetogotoschoolorI'mgonnabelate!" as she ran out of the front door.

She was going to kill Inuyasha one of these days…she just knew she would. He had made her late to school almost every time she went now, _which is almost never… _she thought guiltily as she ran, but it was just the fact that if she did try to go, she could never be on time that irritated her. Not even fashionably late. Nooooo…it was always the so late that you earn the reproachful comment from the teacher and are embarrassed beyond words for the day kind of late.

"So help me Inuyasha, if I'm late again your gonna get it!" she cried as she skidded around the corner, and up into the schoolyard.

She was lucky today. She had made it into the school just as the bell wrung. That meant she wouldn't be to horribly late if she kept running to the classroom…

Kagome slid the corner in the hall and slammed into someone else going the other way. There was a mutual _eep! _On both their parts, and they both bounced back onto the ground. She sat up and rubbed her head to see a girl she did not recognize doing much the same thing. She got up and offered her hand to the girl, a smile on her face. She smiled up at her and took it, letting Kagome help her up.

"So much for getting to class on time huh?" she asked, a smile still on her face.

"Yeah…"admitted Kagome with a slight laugh. "I'll never make it for roll now…"

"Hey I'm new here, and I am really lost," said the girl, pulling out a course schedule, "Do you know where room 22B is?"

"Yeah! Go down this hall here and it'll be the second door on the right."

"Thank you!" said the girl, running off down the hall. "Hope to see you around!"

Kagome waved and walked the rest of the way down the hall, and entered her first period class.

"Ah Kagome, so nice of you to finally join us, I guess we have finally been deemed worthy of your presence?"

She blushed slightly as she took a seat next to one of her friends. "Sorry I'm late Sensei, I had a hard time waking up on time this morning."

"So it would seem." Her teacher said with a slight smile as he turned back towards the blackboard to continue the lesson.

"So where have you been?" asked Yuka.

"Yeah, your Grandpa said that your rheumatism was really acting up and that your bunions were causing a lot of pain so you were staying at home…" Ayumi chimed in.

Kagome fought down a blush. She had had just about enough of her Grandpa's interference in her life. "Okay, let's get one thing straight guys, I don't have any of these weird diseases, my grandpa does, and he keeps telling people that I've got all his funky problems because he can't think enough to say I've got a cold, or mono, or chicken pox or something that a kid would have…ignore whatever he says from now on okay?"

"Wow Kagome, okay…" said Eri.

"All you had to do was say that your grandpa was covering for you while you ditched."

Kagome nearly fell out at this remark, but kept herself in check, and bent over her work, determined to keep herself calm as she fought down her rising blush.

When I get back you are so dead Inuyasha!

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Akina walked through the empty halls of her new school, completely alone. She liked it that way though. Alone was always better for her. Her classes had gone well so far. Some had even tried to make friends with her, including a group of obviously popular girls. But Akina wanted none of it. She just wanted to be alone for now.

She paused in her walk, putting her hand over the hidden necklace and sighed. So much had changed…Her mother was dead, she had been forced to move to Tokyo with people she did not know, nor really cared to, and now she was wandering through unfamiliar halls in an unfamiliar school…

What had she done to make everything go so wrong?

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Kagome had walked through most of her day with no truly eventful thing happening…besides slamming into that new girl earlier on. She walked into her last class with a sense of relief, she was glad the day was almost over.

She chose a seat closer to the back of the lab, not really wanting anyone to see her. She was getting far to many questions about her various ailments for her liking. She sat on the edge of the stool and sighed as the bell rang…today had been such a long day…

"Good afternoon class, today we have a new student in our numbers…would you all say hello to Akina?"

The teacher motioned to the girl standing next to her as the class chanted its greeting. Kagome recognized her instantly as the girl she had run into earlier that morning. She got her first really good look at the girl now though, as she studied her.

Akina was about her height, with unusually short hair that was a darker shade of strawberry blonde. She had brilliant green eyes that were so deep; they looked as if they went on forever. She wore thin-rimmed glasses that covered them though, drawing attention away from their startling depths. She wore a normal school uniform, but it seemed to look different on her…

"Why don't you partner up with Kagome dear, she hasn't been here in a while, so she has not started this lab either…Kagome darling raise your hand."

Kagome sighed, and obediently raised her hand, and Akina spotted her, a smile on her face. She obviously recognized her too. She made her way to the back of the room and seated herself lightly next to Kagome.

"I'm glad to see you again." She said quietly with a smile. "I was beginning to think I never would see you around…"

Kagome noticed that her warm smile didn't quite reach her eyes, giving her an eternally sad look. She smiled back at her despite this; she actually kind of liked Akina, despite the fact she barley knew her.

"I'm not always here, but I'm definitely around…"

Akina laughed slightly, and began to pull out the lab equipment that the teacher was specifying on the board. The two talked all through the entire period, laughing and joking like two old friends.

"Hey, would you like to come over to my place sometime?" asked Kagome as they exited the classroom at the end of the day.

"Sure, I'd like that…Where do you live?" asked Akina, brushing her hair out of her eyes.

"At the Higurashi Shrine, just a few blocks from here."

"Wow Kagome, you live at a shrine…that must be so cool!"

"Yeah kindda…tomorrow good?"

"Tomorrow is wonderful." Said Akina, a bright smile lighting up her face.

"Alright, see you then!" said Kagome, turning around the corner as Akina went straight on. She had to admit, Akina was really nice, but there was something strange about her, something she couldn't quite put her finger on…and there was something she was hiding. Her eyes had told Kagome that much. But whatever it was, Akina was very good at acting like there was nothing for her to hide…

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Akina didn't know what it was about Kagome, but she had felt almost instantly drawn to the girl. She was not like the others at the school…she was different.

She pulled out the jewel necklace and played with it as she walked thinking about the date she had set up for the next day…a Saturday as it was. It wouldn't bother her aunt and uncle, she knew that much. They had told her that as long as she didn't get arrested, they could care less what she did.

Some good home mom… she thought bitterly as she walked up the steps towards her apartment, tucking the necklace back into her shirt.

But despite her bitter thoughts, she found herself actually looking forward to seeing Kagome tomorrow…maybe things would turn out okay after all…

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**So, you guys like so far? Yay? Nay? Please R&R…They are great encouragement…-**


	3. Into a Strange Land

Hope Lies Hidden

Chapter Two- Into a Strange Land

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Akina rolled over in bed, wondering why on Earth her alarm was going off at 8:00am on a Saturday. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and searched her memory for any reason as to why she would be up so early…Kagome.

She sat up, turning off the alarm as she did. This was only her first week in Tokyo, and already she had a nice friend, who wanted her to come see her house…and the Higurashi Shrine no less…she smiled at the thought of Kagome being a miko. She highly doubted the possibility, but living at a shrine, it was there.

Akina pulled out her school uniform at first, but remembering it was not a school day, hung it back out and pulled out her civvies instead. She pulled on a dark green ribbed tank top over a dark brown, skintight long sleeve. She pulled on dark brown combat boots, which were mostly covered by her camouflage cargo pants. She grabbed her pack, which was her alternate to a purse, and began to walk out the door when she remembered her glasses, and walked over to her bedside table, grabbed them up, and headed downstairs.

"Uncle Suma? I'm going out to see my friend…I'll be back later! Bye Aunt Ishina!"

The only response she received was an unintelligible grunt from her uncle as she walked out the door. Akina sighed…she would rather have had to get a job to pay her own way back in Yokohama…

But as she started down the street towards Kagome's house, she felt that it was a good thing, if only apparent in the long run, that she had come to Tokyo after all.

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Kagome packed the last package of Ramen noodles in her bag with a relieved sigh. They all had come to depend on Kagome so much…and not just because she was Kikyo's reincarnate…because she had food. Half the time they were on the road, far from any village, it was her food that would carry them all over until she could restock at the next village they came to.

Kagome smoothed a crease in her uniform before shouldering the now heavy pack. As she began to walk out of the house, she couldn't help but feel as if there was something she was forgetting…

"Bye Mom! Bye Sota! Please don't embarrass me too much Grandpa! I'll see you all later!" She half ran, half walked out the door, just as someone began to knock on the front entrance. She heard her Grandpa answer the door as she headed for the well house. She had to get going…Inuyasha and the others were waiting for her.

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Akina smiled sweetly at the old man who opened the door to Kagome's house. He eyed her suspiciously for a moment before saying anything to her.

"Yes young lady? How may I help you?"

Akina bowed shortly. "Hello. My name's Akina, I'm a friend of Kagome's…"

"Oh, to bad. You just missed her…"

"Missed her?" she asked with a slight frown. "Where did she go?"

She didn't really hear his answer though as she saw Kagome running to one of the shrine buildings out the corner of her eye.

"Hey Kagome!" she called turning towards her with a smile. Kagome kept going though, entering one of the smaller buildings at the shrine. Akina turned back to the man at the door and bowed again. "Thank you very much sir, I appreciate your help."

She turned and ran after Kagome, leaving the old man spluttering behind her. She ran into the room, expecting to see Kagome, but instead was greeted by no one at all. She looked around curiously. " How could she have disappeared so fast?" she wondered aloud.

Her eyes fell upon the well that was down at the end of the short wooden stairway. "Hey look, an old well…that's neat…"

She felt strangely drawn to it…like it was something she had seen in a dream long past…she leaned on the edge of the well, looking down into it. It was deep enough to where she could not see the bottom…she leaned over further, and suddenly, as if an invisible hand had pushed her, she felt herself tip too far forward, and she pitched head first into the well, the only sound escaping her a short, shocked, _eep…_

Not two seconds later Kagome's grandpa came huffing into the well house after Akina. He looked around curiously for a moment before leaving again, muttering about her as he did.

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Akina braced herself for the impact with the bottom of the well, her eyes screwed tight. If she didn't break something, she would be thoroughly amazed…

But the impact didn't come. She opened here eyes slowly, and then looked up around her, amazed by what she saw. The world around her was a dazzling crystalline blue, like water, but felt like air. But not a moment later the blue began to fade into a murky brown, and Akina stared as her hands and knees came into exceedingly soft contact with the bottom of the well.

"Wow, that was really weird."

She got up and brushed herself off, wiping the dirt from her palms. She looked up the side of the well, until she was looking out the top, at the daylight shining up above. She looked back at the wall in front of her and sighed.

"Now, to get out of you…"

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Kagome jumped out of the well and was immediately greeted by a large floating pink balloon with a strange smiley face imprinted on it.

"Kagome! Your back!" it cried, before suddenly popping and turning into the familiar form of Shippo, her little fox demon friend.

Kagome laughed slightly at him. "Yeah, I'm back Shippo, I couldn't stay away for too long…"

"Did you bring more ramen?"

Now Kagome really did laugh. The little fox was amusing. "Yes, Shippo, I brought more ramen."

"Yay!"

"What are you so excited about furball?" came the familiar voice of Inuyasha next to her.

"Hey, ease up Inuyasha, he's just glad to see me, can't you be nice to him just once?"

"And why should I?"

Kagome gave him a cold look for a moment before saying anything.

"Inuyasha…SIT!"

Inuyasha slammed face first into the ground, sending bits of dirt flying everywhere.

"Ah, welcome back Kagome," said Miroku walking up to stand beside her, Sango and Kerara not too far behind him. "I can see Inuyasha has already come to greet you."

"Hey! What the hell was that for?" he growled, standing up rather stiffly, bits of grass still stuck in his hair.

"For making me late to class again…I told you one more time…"

"That's no excuse for…"

"Hey guys, look." Said Shippo, interrupting the feud. Kagome followed the direction of his gaze to see something that almost made her pass out. Someone else was climbing out of the well.

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Akina pushed herself up past the last stone in the well, and paused, panting from trying to climb the nearly smooth walls. Luckily all that martial arts training her dad had made her go through before disappearing had paid off, allowing her to find handholds when there were none apparent. She finally looked up, expecting to see the inside of well house.

Instead, an empty field and a forest beyond were what greeted her eyes.

"Oh, this is definitely not where I parked my car…"

She continued to pull herself up out of the well until she fell out, hitting the grass beneath her at an odd angle, so her feet, were still propped up on the edge. She sat still for a moment, and then began to sing a little song as she rocked back and forth in a strange little victory dance.

"I'm alive…I made it back up…and now I'm alive…"

"Were you not before?" asked a smooth male voice. Akina froze, and then sat up slowly to see a very handsome looking man standing on the other side of the well, staring at her curiously. Akina gasped, coming into a fighting stance in an instant.

"Who are you?" she asked, eyeing the stranger. He was dressed in strange clothing, the likes of which she had only ever seen in history books. He carried a large staff with a golden hoop attached to the top and several rings hung from that. She saw that one of his hands was wrapped in cloth and prayer beads, as if it was holding something back…

"My name is Miroku, and I couldn't help but stop to try and aid a beautiful young lady such as yourself…after all it is my duty as a monk to help anyone I possibly can."

"Miroku, leave the poor girl alone…"

Akina looked around Miroku's form to see Kagome standing there, a shocked look on her face, but a slightly aggravated one as well.

"Kagome?" she asked quietly, not quite believing her eyes. She took a few steps forward, walking towards her friend in a state of disbelief, when something snapped her out of her daze…

The monk was groping her!

She turned in a flash, lashing out in an elegantly delivered strike that sent Miroku flying.

"Don't you dare touch me you pervert!" she hollered angrily as she stomped on his back while he lay in the grass.

"Hey, I like this girl already." Said a small voice by her side. She stopped mid stomp and looked down to see a little boy, but a boy that appeared to be half fox…

"Oh how cute!" she squealed, picking him up and hugging him. "And who might you be?" she asked with a beautiful smile.

"My name's Shippo," he said as a soft mew came from her other side. "And that's Kirara."

Akina looked down to see a little animal, no bigger than a cat, but twice as adorable standing by her side looking up at her. She set Shippo down and patted the little thing on the head, before standing up to face Kagome.

"Hey Kagome! I found where you went to!" she said, rubbing the back of her head and laughing slightly.

"And just who the Hell are you?" she heard a voice say behind her. She whipped around and started to introduce herself, but stopped dead, a strange look on her face.

The boy in front of her had long silver hair and golden eyes…he wore all red and white…but he had ears as well…

Akina reached up and began to fiddle with them, despite the frozen look that was now on the strange boy's face.

"Wow…they're just like cat ears…" she said, looking them over thoroughly. This statement seemed to snap the boy out of his stupor, making him even growl slightly before he began to yell.

"They are not cat ears, they are dog, ears! Dog! Dog demon dog-ears! Not cat!"

"Sit boy!"

Suddenly the boy was face down in the dirt, as if slammed by some monstrous force from behind.

"Sorry about that, Inuyasha just gets a little worked up over some things." apologized Kagome, smiling at Akina. "I'd like you to meet Sango," she said, showing her the last member of the odd group, a beautiful young woman in a kimono, with a boomerang the at least her size slung over her back. She bowed slightly to the woman before making her introduction.

"It is very nice to meet you Sango, my name is Akina."

Sango bowed as well, and smiled brightly at her. "It is nice to meet you as well…"

She looked past Akina at Miroku and Inuyasha, both of whom were just getting up, moaning in pain. She laughed at the sight, and then turned back to Akina. "Glad to see you've met the boys…"

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"She is not coming with us and that's final!"

"Inuyasha…I can't believe how stubborn you're being! She's my friend!"

It had been almost an hour since Akina had fallen through the well. No one knew how she had managed without a piece of the Shikon jewel, but that debate was set aside for the larger one of whether or not she would be allowed to accompany them.

"I trust her Inuyasha…"

"You trust her do you! Well I don't! There's something strange about that girl, something she's not telling us and I don't like it!"

Kagome was glad that Sango and Miroku had agreed to take Akina back to the village to see Kaede. They had taken Shippo along as well, so Kagome and Inuyasha could yell it out on their own, undisturbed.

"You think I don't know that! She needs help Inuyasha, and if we leave her behind I have a feeling she's not going to get it! Would you just stop being so egotistical and let her come already!"

Inuyasha growled slightly in response, and stood silently for a moment, his arms crossed.

"Fey…fine, she can come…but I'm not be running around after her all the time got it? I've already got my hands full enough with the rest of you…"

Kagome smiled and threw her arms around him, giving him a tight hug.

"Thank you so much!" she said, then ran off in the direction of the village.

Inuyasha stared after her for a moment, then sighed resignedly and followed after Kagome.

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Kudos to anyone who picked up on the Euro Trip reference. So, Yay? Nay? Or some foggy area in between?


	4. A Sudden Attack

Hope Lies Hidden

Chapter 3- A Sudden Attack

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Akina looked out over the beautiful village that spread out below her, fading into the surrounding forest on all distant sides. It was so different from the modern day Tokyo…yet there was a strange familiarity to this feudal age of Japan. She sighed after a moment and turned to go back inside of Kaede's hut. Everything had been so confusing since she had dropped through the well…

But despite all the wonderful people she had met so far, and all the kindness she had been treated with, she was still unhappy. There was still an ache deep in her heart…she placed a hand over her mother's necklace unconsciously, entering into the interior of the hut.

"What bothers ye child? You look as if you are troubled." Said Kaede, looking up from her seat as she spoke.

Akina snapped out of her stupor, and smiled lightly at the old warrior. "No Kaede, nothing is bothering me."

"Do not try to hide it from me child…something is upsetting ye. Come, sit here and tell me about what troubles your heart."

Akina clutched at the necklace even harder, and was about to give her stunned reply when Sango leaned in the door.

"Akina! Kagome has gotten Inuyasha to agree to let you travel with us…"

Akina smiled at her and nodded. "That is wonderful. I am glad to hear it."

Sango looked her up and down for a moment, and then asked, "Would you like to join Kagome and I in the hot springs for a bath? We already have Miroku's assurance that he will not try to come and oogle at us…"

She smiled at her even more broadly, and quickly agreed to her suggestion. "Bye Kaede!" she called as she left with Sango down to the hot springs.

Kaede just watched her leave, in quiet contemplation for a moment. "I wonder what could have happened to that poor child to cause her so much pain…" she muttered to herself as she returned to her work.

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Kagome sank into the hot springs, grateful for the warm water that washed over her body. She knew that this could be the only bath that she would be able to take for a few days, so she was going to enjoy it. She opened her looked over at the sound of Sango's excited voice, wanting to see what she found so interesting.

"Oh, Akina, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed, holding a jeweled necklace that she was wearing in her palm. "Where did you get it?"

Akina gave Sango a saddened look, but smiled all the same. "It was my mother's…she's dead." She supplied rather bluntly.

Both Kagome and Sango looked at her, shocked. So that's why she's so sad all the time… thought Kagome, recalling the troubled look in her eyes the day she had met her. She's in mourning for her mother…

"Oh, I'm so sorry," said Sango, saddening at the revelation. "I know how hard it is…" She turned away and slid into the spring, taking off her towel as she did. "I lost my younger brother, Kohaku, not long ago as well."

"It's not easy, but I still manage." Akina said with a slight laugh as she too entered the hot springs.

"We all have to, I guess, I mean, everyone we know has lost someone…" said Kagome. "I mean, you lost you brother, Miroku lost his father, Shippo lost his too, and Inuyasha lost Kikyo. We all have to deal with loss at some point…"

"Yeah," sighed Akina, "But it doesn't mean I have to like it."

Both Sango and Kagome laughed, and Akina soon joined them. It was a good way to fight of the melancholy of the subject.

Kagome leaned back, her eyes closed, enjoying the other women's company, and the relaxing qualities of the hot spring…she definitely needed to relax after her last argument with Inuyasha…

She could feel Akina shifting in the water for a moment, muttering something about not wanting to get the stone wet as she did. Kagome could hear her removing her necklace…

It was as if lightning had just struck her, shaking her whole body to the core. Out of nothing, she could feel the presence of a jewel shard, and the shard was close…She sat up; her eyes open wide as she did.

"Sango there's a…"

"Shard of the Shikon Jewel." She finished for her, staring at the necklace that now lay on the rock next to Akina. And Akina was staring as well.

The jewel in the necklace, entwined in gold thread, was now sparkling with an inner light that had not been there before. It was dazzling to see up close, for it was one of the few completely pure pieces of the shard, clean of all hate, and free from any kind of taint.

"How could we not tell before?" asked Sango quietly. Kagome just shook her head in disbelief. She stared at the Jewel Shard. There was no way it could have gone undetected…unless…

"Akina, pick the necklace back up." Said Kagome, edging towards her. Akina put her hand over the jewel for a moment, then picked it up. Almost instantly the Jewel's presence was gone, as if it had never been there at all…Kagome looked up at Sango, a feeling of complete confusion coming over her.

"What does this mean?" she asked quietly, her shock obvious.

"I don't know." Relied Kagome, now turning her gaze upon a wide eyed and startled looking Akina. "I just don't know…"

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Inuyasha sat with legs and arms crossed, his back up against a tree, the Tetsaiga resting on his shoulder. He was as alone as he could get in the village, as he had gone slightly off the path on the way to the hot springs. He would not spy on the girls, but he wanted to keep close in case anything happened. He didn't think he could ever forgive himself if something happened to Kagome…he had already lost one woman he loved, and he couldn't bear the thought of losing another one.

He could hear the girl's laughter. He smiled slightly as he leaned back further, his eyes closed, picking out Kagome's laugh easily. Sure, he acted tough to keep face around the other members of the group, but not to far below the surface he didn't know what he would do without her…

He sat peacefully for a moment, enjoying the cool breeze, when a rustling in the woods behind him caught his attention, drawing him out of his thoughts.

"What the…?" he muttered, looking over his shoulder to see what was causing the noise. He did not see anything, but the noise was growing louder…and he was beginning to catch the scent of a demon…

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Kaede took the necklace from Akina, examining the shard carefully as it began to glow.

The girls hadn't even waited to finish their bath before running to see her, all three of them were still wrapped in towels and soaking wet. Granted they had their underwear on, but they were still wrapped in towels, nonetheless.

"Aye, it is a piece of the Jewel, but why its presence disappears in Akina's hands I do not know." She said, still looking it over. After a moment she looked up and returned the jewel to Akina, where it immediately lost its glow, and looked just like a normal jewel.

"Ye might be able to use this to your great advantage Kagome, for if this child can hide the presence of a Jewel Shard, ye might be able to hide the Jewel from all those you do not wish to have it…"

Kagome nodded mutely, then turned to look at Akina, who was staring at the Jewel in her hand. She looked up curiously at Kagome, a look closely akin to astonishment in her eyes.

"Kagome…would you happen to be talking about the Shikon no Tama? The Jewel that was protected from the demons of the land by the Priestess Kikyo?"

All of the occupants of the room turned to stare at her.

"How would you know about that?" asked Kagome, thoroughly surprised. She had never told her about the Jewel, or Kikyo except in passing…how did she know?

Akina opened her mouth to reply when Inuyasha's loud shout cut her off.

"Look out!" he exclaimed…

Not a moment later the room of the hut crumbled in with an almighty rumble, and directly above them hovered a demon, which was ready to strike again…

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	5. Proving She's Usefull

**Thankies to Anita! I really apreciate your reviews...they are very encouraging.**

**Enjoy!**

Hope Lies Hidden

Chapter 4- Proving She's Useful

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Inuyasha stared up at the demon that hovered above Kaede's decimated roof. It's long green-gray robes fluttered in the breeze. It did not look like a demon, but Inuyasha could tell the difference. It stank of malevolence.

The thing was in the form of a man, his long black hair tied back, and his green tinted eyes flashing with a strange light. He was far to pale, and had a drawn looking face that let Inuyasha know that whatever this demon's form was, it was not the one he currently held.

He growled as he pulled out the Tetsaiga. "Hey you! What the hell do think your doing?"

The demon barley glanced at him before turning his gaze back to the hut, and the four women inside.

"I have come for your shards of the Shikon no Tama…and you will give them to me." It hissed, lowering itself to stand on the roof. Sango came running out, along with Kagome, both of them barley clothed, but bearing arms.

"Inuyasha!" cried Kagome. "He's got a Jewel shard in his back!"

He merely nodded, then began to hurdle forward, wanting to dispatch the demon as quickly as he could.

"Tetsaiga!" he called, bringing his sword across in one mighty swipe…but the demon was gone.

"You are much to slow, Hanyou." Said the thing chuckling low from behind him. Inuyasha barley had time to register his shock when he was flying forward, and slammed into the hut, taking the front walls off, and crashing landing in a heap of rubble.

He sat up slowly, groaning as he did. "You'll get it for that one…"

The demon merely grinned at him…then he stopped, looking behind Inuyasha at the other occupants of the hut. His eyes went wide for a moment, and then he chuckled slightly.

"What a delicacy…"

Inuyasha followed his gaze back and saw Akina sitting up, rubbing the back of her head as she did…He looked back round at the demon.

"Don't even think about it…"he growled.

The demon laughed outright this time. "To late."

Within the flash of an eye the thing had leapt past him, grabbed Akina and leapt back outside, the girl securely in his clutches.

"I needed a little snack…" the demon laughed, and began to change into its true form…that of a hideous humanoid toad.

Inuyasha growled. He couldn't attack the thing without hitting Akina, but if he didn't the demon could very well eat her. He tightened his grip on Tetsaiga and cursed.

"Damn it…"

He needn't have even worried.

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Akina stood in a stunned shock for a moment, but then began to scramble. She grabbed her pants and slipped them on while Sango and Kagome grabbed their weapons and ran outside. In less than a second she had her towel haltered over her shoulders and around her chest, forming a secure top that she could fight in.

She heard Inuyasha yelling at the demon, but ignored him, as she ran towards Kaede, who was holding out a set of daggers for her to use. She felt her hand close around the hilts of the blades when she went flying as Inuyasha came crashing into the hut.

Akina sat up, rubbing the back of the head to see both Inuyasha and the demon looking at her. She tightened her grip around her the daggers, for she could tell by the way Inuyasha growled at the demon that she was in trouble.

"Don't even think about it…"

"To late." Laughed the monster, and the next thing Akina knew she was in its clutches, being held tightly around her shoulders and throat.

Inuyasha cursed as they flew by him…Akina could see the shocked looks on both Sango's and Kagome's faces…

"I needed a little snack…" it hissed, and Akina felt the hands that held her change into long slimy fingers.

She saw the angered look on Inuyasha's face and smiled to herself. Did they all think her so helpless?

"I suggest you let me go." She said quietly.

"What did you say human?" it hissed crushing her closer to its repulsive body.

"I suggest you let me go you worthless youkai…I don't want to have to kill you."

The demon laughed. "You, kill me? Don't make me laugh mortal." It croaked.

Akina crossed her arms in front of her, maneuvering a blade into each hand.

"I am going to tell you one more time…let me go, or suffer the consequences."

The toad just laughed again.

"You have talked enough, and I'm hungry…"

Akina felt the thing spinning her around to face it…she lashed out, using her training to its fullest extent.

She slashed simultaneously across its face and abdomen, sending blood flying everywhere, drenching her in it as well. The thing screamed, letting her go. She sprang back, and fell easily into a fighting stance. The thing stumbled for a moment…looking at its own blood, then back up at her. Pure hatred filled its eyes, and it charged her. Akina blocked its strike easily, kicking it back a few feet. It tried to rush her again, but she jumped up as it neared her, flipping back out of its reach, and sent one of her daggers flying into it's body as she did, landing smoothly, the whole tactic one fluid motion.

She looked around at her companions as the demon prepared to rush her again. They all

stood, watching her in complete shock. She dodged to the side as the thing came after her again, retrieving her dagger as she did.

"I could use some help you know!" she called as she dodged the toad again.

Kagome nodded once and readied an arrow. "Just get his back to me!" she called. Akina nodded. The toad rushed her once again, and Akina prepared to kick it around to face its fate. But it was ready for her, and hopped up into the air, and blasted the ground in front of her with the same force it had used to blast the roof off the hut.

Akina flew backwards, slamming into the ground at a high speed that made her skip like a stone for a few yards before finally coming to a halt. She lay still for a moment, and then sat up. She saw the toad coming towards her and felt for her daggers, but they were no where near her…they had been lost somewhere in the blast…She looked back up at the demon with wide eyes…

Suddenly Inuyasha was in front of her, fending the thing off…An arrow flew through the air, piercing its shoulder, and sending a shard of the Shikon Jewel flying out…Akina dove forward and caught it…

"Get out of the way!" called Miroku, running up, just now arriving from the outskirts of the village. Akina tried to move out of the way, but her body, just wouldn't obey…She felt Inuyasha's clawed hands go around her as she was suddenly flying away…

And with a burst of wind the toad was gone…Akina smiled…she had helped to kill her first demon…

And then she felt the darkness that had been gathering at the corners of her eyes completely envelop her…

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"Is she okay?" asked Kagome as Inuyasha set the unconscious Akina down.

"I'm guessing so…she should be fine." He said, looking at Kagome softly.

"I have never seen anyone fight like her before." Said Miroku, kneeling down with the rest of them. "The only thing close to it that I have witnessed is the style the samurai fight."

Kagome smiled at him for a moment before she began to look for the jewel shard she had shot out of the thing's back.

"You have to remember Miroku, that Akina is from a different time…the techniques have gotten better as time has gone on." She opened her hand and smiled as she picked up the shard.

"But all the same Kagome," said Miroku, "She posses unusual talent in battle, in both close and long range combat…"

Kagome frowned slightly. "That's true. I've only ever heard of black belts and above being able to fight like that…"

"Well at least she did her part. I'm glad to see that she can fend for herself, so I don't have to." quipped Inuyasha, crossing his arms with an arrogant sniff.

"And all that arguing you did, saying she wasn't!" Kagome laughed. "I think she's proving herself to be quite useful!"

Inuyasha glared at Kagome for a moment, then growled, getting up from his crouched position.

"I'm gonna go check on Kaede…you try to wake her up." He said, turning and huffing off.

Kagome just laughed, and turned back to Akina. Her friend was strange, that was for sure, but she was definitely now an invaluable part of their shard-hunting group…

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**Yay? Nay? Please review! gets on knees I'm begging here! -**


	6. A Long Forgotten Memory

**So, bueno? No bueno? Please review!**

Hope Lies Hidden

Chapter Five- A Long Forgotten Memory

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Sesshomaru looked out from the balcony of his palace, his cold gaze sweeping over the lands he ruled as he did. There was something different, something he could not quite place his finger on…

"Ah! Stop that you infernal mortal!"

"But I want to see Lord Sesshomaru!"

"No! Ah! Wait…!"

Sesshomaru turned around to see his subordinate, Jaken the toad-demon, wrestling with the small human child he had taken in, Rin.

"What are you doing Jaken?" he questioned in a flat voice, one that he typically reserved for those he considered to be the scum of the earth…but yet again that was pretty much everybody…

"Nothing, Lord Sesshomaru…" said Jaken, quailing at his look. "I was just trying to keep the young one from bothering you…"

The "young one" in question had made it past Jaken's grip and was now firmly attached to his robes. Sesshomaru fought down a smile as Rin glared at Jaken. He didn't know why this child, and a human no less, was able to break down his cold barriers so easily, but she was. He knew that he could never let anything happen to her, and wanted her to be happy…

"Was there something you wanted Rin?" he asked, his voice still flat, but far less domineering.

"I wanted to see if you would come out into the garden with me, my lord. I wanted to go pick some of the newest flowers…"

Sesshomaru kneeled down next to her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Maybe when I return. I have to go take care of something first." He said. Rin nodded and let go of his robes so he could leave. He stood and began to walk out of the room.

"Make sure she is well provided for while I am gone." He said to Jaken, who scuttled alongside him.

"Wa…What? You're not taking me with you, my lord?"

"No Jaken. Stay here and care for Rin. I shall return soon."

Sesshomaru left the stuttering toad at the doors to the palace. He sighed as he headed for the gates. It seemed like he not been home for a day, and now he was having to leave again…

But there was something strange going on out on his lands…some new power that was growing in strength…and it was something he needed to figure out…

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Akina fluttered her eyes for a moment, unsure of the world around her…it was light…far to light…Where was the dark of her Tokyo apartment room?

Suddenly it all came flooding back to her. The well, the fall, the other world…the demon. She sat bolt upright, scared out of her wits and ready to fight. She felt a couple pairs of hands latch onto her, keeping her from getting up entirely.

"Calm down Akina-chan…you don't want to hurt yourself…" she heard a familiar voice say. The room around her cleared, and she could see a worried looking Sango in front of her, and hear Kagome's voice from behind her.

"It's okay…just don't get up yet, you got really banged up back there."

Akina rubbed the back of her head and grimaced slightly. "What on earth happened?"

"After you fought with the demon you passed out. He got you pretty good, you were really beat up when we brought you in…but you healed amazingly fast. Even Kaede was surprised!" said Sango, releasing her, and then draping a blanket over her shoulders.

Akina smiled sheepishly at Sango. "I never did stay down to long." She smiled as Sango laughed, and then thanked Kagome when she handed her a cup of tea. "So how long was I out for?" she asked, taking a sip of her tea.

"Almost three days." Answered Kagome. Akina nearly chocked on the steaming liquid.

"Three days! But what about school! And how am I going to explai…" she trailed off. She had been about to say, how could she explain where she had been for four days to her mother, when she remembered…

"Well I barley go to school at all, but I still manage. I've stayed here weeks before!" said Kagome bracingly.

Akina smiled, but it was a feeble one at best. She wasn't even really trying to mask her sadness anymore. Fighting had made her forget for a while. This feudal era had made her forget for a while. But nothing would ever make her truly forget. She grasped the blanket closer around her and got up, walking outside to try and escape the melancholy feeling.

"And where do you think you're going?" asked Inuyasha behind her as she walked out. She ignored him though, and continued to walk towards the woods. She didn't care if he'd get pissed off …She just needed to be alone for a while…

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Kagome watched her walk out of the room, a sinking feeling in her heart. She sat in silence for a moment, before Sango rose and excused herself, saying she needed to find Miroku and Shippo. After a moment more, she too rose and walked out of the hut, a saddened expression on her face.

"You gonna be okay?" asked Inuyasha, while leaning up against the side of the hut.

Kagome sighed. "Yeah…I just feel so bad for her…losing her mom and all. I don't know what I'd do without my mother…" she looked over at Inuyasha, and smiled. "So do you trust her now?"

"No."

Kagome stared at him in disbelief for a moment before beginning to yell.

"What! Why not!"

"Because she's still hiding something from us. I can't put my finger on it, but there is something she is not telling us."

"Inuyasha, sometimes you are sooo….ohhhh…" Kagome half growled at him as she turned on her heal to storm off. She felt his hand close around her wrist, keeping her from running off. She stopped for a moment, surprised by his s actions. He normally just let her go.

She felt him turn her around, and him pulling her close…she stood shocked for a moment, then returned the embrace. They stood for a moment, holding each other close before anything was said.

"Just be careful, Kagome. I don't want anything to happen to you." Whispered Inuyasha.

Kagome smiled into his shoulder and nodded, enjoying the moment thoroughly.

And then he was gone…walking off towards the other side of the village, to take care of some errand of his own.

Kagome smiled to herself. Inuyasha could be so stubborn sometimes, and even downright mean…but she still loved him. She watched him go for a moment longer before going off to find Sango.

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She could feel something was close…a strong spirit that moved within a still living body…A spirit so strong that it could sustain her, practically return her to the world of the living for years to come…

It could return her from this world of the living dead…the world she had fought so hard against for so long.

Kikyo turned toward this new strength, willing her soul stealers to find this new spirit. She would kill this maiden if she had to. She needed her soul…

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Akina wandered into further into the woods, wanting to leave the world far behind. She hurt so bad…she just wanted it to go away…

The stumbled slightly as tears came to her eyes, tears that she had held bottled up inside for so long…she put her hand out in front of her as she began to run blindly, sobbing uncontrollably as she did. Her palm hit up against a tree, and she stopped, still crying, but now exhausted…she slid down the trunk of the tree, gasping slightly for air as she did.

She sat for a moment, holding the blanket closer to her, clinging to its warmth. She sat there and cried until she could cry no more, and then sat slightly hiccoughing, and dried her face off with a corner of the blanket.

She looked up to see where she had gone, and saw that she was on the edge of a strange clearing. The light that filtered through the trees was slightly tinted red, so that a soft rose color bathed the surrounding area. There was no sound except a slight breeze that rustled the trees above her…but the silence was, if anything, comforting. She felt safe, as if no one in the world could find her.

She got up slowly and entered the clearing, still wary of her surroundings.

_"Come, darling, don't be afraid…" _

Akina looked wildly around for the source of the voice…but there was no one there. She stepped further into the clearing and the light began to lose its rosy hue, shining an almost blinding white after a moment.

_"Come, sit down and let me tell you a story."_

Akina did as she was told, sitting on the soft grass. There was some thing so familiar about that voice…

_"What kind of story Grandma?" _

The light became less, and she could see a young girl, no older than six, sitting in front of an elderly woman with brilliant green eyes…Akina stared in shock. The old woman was her grandmother, who had died long ago of the same disease that had killed claimed her mother.

_Her Grandmother placed a beautiful necklace in her hands that seemed to sparkle with an inner light. It was wrapped in thin gold wire that made it look almost magical to her young mind._

"_Oh Grandma, it's so pretty!" she gasped, holding it lightly._

"_This my dear," began her grandmother with a smile, "Is a shard of an ancient jewel, shattered long ago, back when demon still freely roamed the earth."_

_Little Akina settled herself in more comfortably and listened to her grandmother's story intently. She loved to hear her fairy tales…_

"It was a Jewel called the Shikon no Tama, it was sought by many who sought power, for it could grant demons almost unlimited power. But it could also purify, something that no demon ever really understood. A priestess named Kikyo watched over it, guarding it from all those with ill intentions. But one day, a Hanyou named Inuyasha tried to steal it…betraying Kikyo's trust and giving her a fatal wound in the process. With the last of her strength, the miko bound Inuyasha to a tree with a sacred arrow, preventing him from using the Jewel. For if he had used it to become a full demon as he desired, he would have ruined the world of men completely.

Fifty years later, another young miko arrived, and freed Inuyasha. The miko, whose name was Kagome, was in possession of the Sacred Jewel, but he could not take it from her. Instead, Inuyasha was bound to protect this woman.

But one day a demon stole the Jewel, and as they fought to get it back, it shattered, scattering its shards through every corner of the land.

One of the pieces fell into the hands of your ancient ancestor, whom guarded it with her life. She passed the jewel down to her daughter for safe keeping, and the girl had it cast in gold thread and made into a necklace, which she passed on to her daughter, and so on and so forth, until it came to me."

She smiled at the wide-eyed attentiveness of the young Akina.

"And some day, it will be your mother's, and then, eventually, yours."

Akina smiled at her grandmother, and went back to playing with the necklace, lost in a fairy tale world of half-demons, young mikos, and long lost magic…

Akina opened her eyes and gasped. She had forgotten! She knew about he jewel, and where it came from, even…

"Kagome…Inuyasha…" she whispered in shock, breaking the silence of the woods around her.

She got up and ran to find them, to tell them all that she knew, not even noticing that the glade she had left behind was suddenly as normal as any other patch of forest around.

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